Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a simple day for us. It's just us. No additional friends or family coming over. No driving to visit anyone. It's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of our normal days.

We do go out though. In the morning, we do the Thanksgiving day 4 mile run in Ft Collins. Ok, Brian does the running, the girls and I walk. I don't know that we've ever done the full 4 miles either. There are various unofficial short cuts along the route. Today, with a whining 9 yr old and an 8 yr old with a sore ankle, we took the Loomis loop shortcut, meaning we walked 2 miles, not four. That's kind of how it goes most years.

Our meal is fairly simple too. No worrying about making Aunt Clara's casserole and Grandma Shirley's jello concoction. Brian does the cooking, as always. So, sometime after football we eat a dinner which generally includes turkey cooked on the grill, hubbard squash and some sort of dessert. There is always other things too, but it varies year to year. Some roasted vegetables, baked sweet potatoes (without that nasty marshmallow crap), cranberry sauce (not that gel from a can either, shudder) and stuffing often make an appearance. This year it was corn w/peppers and onions, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

This year wasn't as simple in that we have 2 extra dogs staying with us as well as a house/barn full (dog, cat, 6 horses, pony and various chickens) to watch. But honestly, I don't mind watching pets, it's kind of fun. And the girls are totally THRILLED to be able to play with extra animals. Stella has decided she likes horses now (add them to cats, dogs, chickens, lizards, pigs and a cow on the list of pets she wants.) She also has been the official "chicken checker" when we go over. Sandis spends all her time with the dog. She's not quite sure about the horses. Not. At. All. She stands waaaayyyy outside the fences and watches us give them their hay.

Of course, we should be thinking of what we are thankful of on this day rather than rambling, right? Now I'm just tired from getting up early and can't really think straight, but I can come up with a few things.

I'm thankful for/that:

• My family - Brian and the girls
• Being able to homeschool and having the girls love it
• My many, many friends :)
  
• Actually having a job
• Having a husband who has a job
• we can stop hearing about Black Friday after tomorrow
• it is finally time to put up winter holiday decorations tomorrow so I can stop bitching about seeing them all over the place.
• Stella has a med that suits her
• It's not summer
• Diet Dr. Pepper, Jubelale and Gingerbread Lattes
• Pharmacology
• Books
• Chocolate
• The Packers and the fact they are still undefeated
• I get to sleep in tomorrow ;)